"LORA" Late-Onset Reflection Assist

The Result of Duke LeJeune's Two Decade+ Obsession: How Do We Define and Reproduce the Ideal Loudspeaker Reverberant Field Pattern?  Read, Discover Anew

LORA is unique, being the world’s most advanced and refined accessory loudspeaker in the luxury high end category.  LORA improves overall system performance beyond expectations for speakers from entry level high end to cost no object.  Moderate cost is icing on the cake.  Users reported positive results with both monopole and dipole main speakers.

Renown 4x TAS Golden Ear Award winning designer Duke LeJuene has focused on the ideal reverberant field systems for over two decades.  LORA yields positive effects with a wide array of domestic high-end loudspeakers.

Philosophy/Design Goals

A good ratio of the most legendary loudspeakers are dipoles, radiating full range output rearwards.  Other superb speakers have rear or rear/up firing midrange and/or treble drivers.  Such speakers are not universal because to properly delay the reflected energy requires tremendous floor space.  Duke and I discovered a method to maximize the desired goals with as little as 11" of floor space.

 

We meet the 10ms minimum delay target for reflected energy established by Dr. Earl Geddes by siting LORA's driver near the floor, aimed primarily upward toward the ceiling and ceiling/front wall corner.  Imagine a right triangle: vertical line A correlates to LORA's upward energy.  Diagonal line C correlates to energy reflecting off the ceiling/front wall corner back to the listening area.  Horizontal line B correlates to the main speaker's early arriving, direct line-of-sight signal.  In all or most applications (A+C) - B = at least 10ms or 11.25 feet of path length delay (speed of sound 1125fps x 0.010 S.)

 

Unfortunately, full range bipoles and dipoles require more than 10ms (11.25 feet) of path length delay.  (11.25' of delay for such speakers = 5.6' clearance to the front wall because the signal travels from the speaker to the front wall and back.)  Such speakers require more delay because Dr. Geddes' delay rule applies to signals above the bass range; bass signals require more than 10ms of delay.

 

Users select between LORA's 2 high-pass filter poles to smoothly integrate with a wide array of rooms and main speakers.  The horn's pattern control minimizes unwanted early arriving off-axis energy, a critical feature.

 

Main Speakers: below a certain F "hinge point," the lower the F the bigger is the radiation pattern (the pattern grows more omni-polar.)  Conversely, above the same hinge point, the higher the F the smaller the size of the radiation pattern.  All or most of John Atkinson's speaker reviews confirm this.

 

The ear/brain processing system observes this phenomenon and compares it to the more linear pattern of live acoustic instruments.  This error and bass mode effects define the two most critical and audible differences between reproduced music in a small (domestic) space and live music in a large (commercial) space with its high ratio of reflected, properly delayed and spectrally correct energy.  LORA adds high-output, high-density, properly delayed, spectrally correct energy above the hinge point defined herein.  2 mirror-imaged patterns replace 2 non-symmetrical patterns.  As Duke likes to say, where once was a "zig" he added an appropriately symmetrical "zag."  Think of the yin-yang diagram, 2 mirror-imaged halves making one whole.  (Note that bipole, dipole and omni-directional patterns fail where reflected energy arrives too early.)

 

LORA's three welcome results:

 

1. We push the “center of gravity” of in-room reflections back in time, disrupting the ubiquitous “small room signature” inherent in domestic size playback rooms.
2. We add a highly refined reverberant field signal to effectively “carry” the recording's reverberation tails, thus maximizing the recording's "venue spatial signature." (*)
3. We increase the level and improve the spectral quality of in-room reflections to more closely match those of first-arrival sound; a louder and beneficial "signal" replaces detrimental "noise."

(*) Commercial size rooms are larger than and have higher performance potential than domestic sound rooms.  (It's also true that the larger the room the greater the need for acoustic power, which power need increases exponentially as F decreases in the bass range.)  Commercial size rooms lack "small room signature" and have longer reflected path lengths, also revealing more of the "reverberant tails" on the music program.

Audible Benefits

Siting and tuning LORA takes only 30 minutes and yields performance upgrades with no downsides, including:

1. Larger stage dimensions in all 3 planes.
2. Main speakers more fully disappear as a sound source.
3. Less glare, grunge and mechanical quality in the treble range.
4. The music program's "venue spatial signature" replaces the domestic space "small room signature."
5. Increased pitch perception, musical detail and image density (especially center image density.)  Increased pitch perception minimizes the effort required for the ear/brain mechanism to produce live music illusions.  The result is increased interest in complex music programs prior thought to be boring and/or tiring.

Architecture

LORA comprises the best architecture for this application, an advanced and refined wide-range horn and compression driver, both from Faital (FI-tahl) in Italy. Duke LeJeune, possibly the world’s best engineer in this specialized field, designed the crossover.  A wide array of tuning features (listed below) virtually guaranty results beyond expectations.  LORA transparency approaches world class electrostatic loudspeakers but with driving ease, dynamic prowess and pattern control of the best horns.

Ideal Siting

This is the recommended siting for rooms with adequate real estate behind the main speakers.  Imagine 2 lines comprising a V, the point of the V being the sweet spot.  Each line of the V passes through the center mass of its correlating main speaker.  Site one LORA behind each main speaker.  LORAs 16” tall panel faces the sweet spot, perpendicular to the V-line, as close as possible to its correlating main speaker.  The V-line parallels LORAs length and passes through the compression driver center.

Alternate Siting, only 11” of Floor Space!

LORA may be the all-time best audio invention for real-estate challenged music lovers.  LORA 16" length parallels the front wall, requiring 11" or less floor space between that wall and the main speaker.  Both LORA fire inward (toward the main speaker centerline) or outward (L-LORA angled L, R-LORA angled R.)  As per "Ideal" siting above, a V-line passes through the center mass of each main speaker and the center of LORAs compression driver.  This siting trades only a small ratio of stage depth and is the only mechanical delay method to achieve the desired results with only 11" of floor space.

"I DON'T WANT a larger listening room for 11" and a tiny fraction of the cost to build or move!" said no audiophile ever.

HT and Multi-Ch "Phantom" Center

Most if not all commercial theaters have front speakers, especially the center, firing through and hidden behind screen perforations.  Why?  In every case and without exception, ideally sited screen and center speaker occupy the same vertical geographic space.  The viewer's eye level should equal 1/3rd the height of the viewing area. (Yeah, displays above the fireplace are about 3 feet above the ideal height for a seated viewer.)

In domestic applications solid video displays explain why center speakers exist with horizontal mid-treble driver arrays (L/R speakers almost universally have vertical mid-treble driver arrays.)  No known pro mixing studio has an array of unmatched LCR speakers, a grotesque error that is impossible to overstate.  Yet it is SOP in domestic HT's.  In studios with 3 front speakers, those 3 speakers have identical mid-treble array at the exact same height.

LORA "phantom center" provides ideal front channel performance except possibly for rooms with more than 3 seats abreast, wherein 3 identical Front LCR speakers may be preferred.  Any HT with a C speaker requires a perforated screen and 3 matched LCR speakers (at least above the bass range) for ideal audio and video performance.

Beyond the all-time best phantom center performance, LORA provides front stage depth and enhancements listed above for the world's best HT audio.

History/Development

Designer Duke LeJuene's reverberant field experiments started around the time he was the #1 US salesperson for Sound Lab electrostatic dipole speakers.  Later in 2008 TAS awarded Duke a Golden Ear Award for his Dream Maker loudspeaker with so-called "Vertical Offset Bipolar" radiation pattern.  He has since won 3 more TAS GE awards and two Best of Show awards @ 2022 FLAX (AV Showrooms and Enjoy the Music.)

LORA defines the ideal architecture for the goals listed.  The biggest performance leap among Duke's "reflection assist" accessory speakers was the transition from cones to wide-range horns, which since proved successful in all field trials.  LORA delivers a high magnitude of unique musical joy and satisfaction for moderate cost.

Summary

Tuning takes less than a half-hour, yielding welcome and surprising results.  Every aspect of audio and musical performance is improved.  Among all known accessory reflection assist systems, ours achieves the highest ratio of the stated goals and no down sides.

Even pitch perception improves.  Dr. Floyd Toole suggests that properly delayed reflected energy gives the ear a "2nd look" at the pitch in real time.  This explains why LORA users report interest in complex musical programs prior found boring and/or tiring.  Though Toole's concept may be new to readers, multiple users confirm it.

Specs and Features

PHASE ANGLES: benign

WEIGHT: net 25.3#/each, gross packed 57#/pair

DIMENSIONS: footprint 11" x 16", baffle tilts 22.5 degrees from horizontal (height 16"/11" high/low side)

MAIN SPEAKER SUITABILITY: main amp > main speakers parallel with LORA complements all main speakers employed to date from the lowest sensitivity up to 95-96 dB.  For main speakers > 96 dB, drive LORA with a separate amp preferably w/remote volume.  For this purpose, we sell the $500 NAD C 316BEEE amp described elsewhere on this page.

INPUT IMPEDANCE: varies inversely with the passive level-control setting.  Minimum impedance is 16-ohms @ maximum volume; the lower is the passive volume control setting the higher is the driver's input impedance

FULL-RANGE HORN and LARGE-FORMAT COMPRESSION DRIVER: both from Faital (FI-tahl,) made in Italy, among the world's finest and most renown MI/pro-sound OEMs.  Dynamat-lined horn.  The compression driver has 1.4" throat and "Ketone Polymer" diaphragm.

OPTIONAL AMP TO DRIVE LORA: we sell NAD's classic C 316BEE V2: 40/45/90W RMS/peak/IHF dynamic @ 8-ohm, remote control, pure analog, no digital circuits, easy to drive 1M-ohm input impedance and based on NAD’s musical, long-renown, multiple award-winning class AB power amp.  Bass and treble controls maximize tunability.  Setting LORA level remotely from the sweet spot maximizes tuning ease and accuracy.  A separate amp also allows switching LORA off/on in real time, clearly confirming its welcome special effects.  (C 316BEE remote seems to lack mute; to mute LORA, remotely switch C316BEE to an unused input, preferably with shorting plugs fastened.)  $499 SRP, free shipping.

Power Handling if a separate amp drives LORA: Maximum input power 100W @ 16-ohm; a typical SS power amp that makes 200/400W @ 8/4 ohm makes 100W @ 16-ohm.   

GENERAL LOAD NOTES: one of the easiest speaker loads extant.  Most amps can drive any main speaker parallel with LORA.  A client reported fantastic results with his LTA/Berning 10W ZOTL driving LORA parallel with his Cain and Cain Abbey tower single-driver main speaker.  We can advise if any doubt about your amplifier.

POWER HANDLING: the power handling of LORAs L-pad volume control is @ minimum when the control is set for mute/maximum counterclockwise.  If/when testing a muted LORA at elevated level w/a high-powered amp, instead of setting the L-pad to mute, detach all 4 LORA speaker cable terminals @ the amplifier binding posts (detaching wire terminals at LORA risks shorted amp outputs and gross, costly multiple failures.)

FINISH: hand-rubbed multi-coat Black Knight Satin; extra cost for wood veneer or custom automotive paint color.

Audition w/full refund minus out-of-pocket fees.  Extra-cost finishes: refund minus out-of-pocket fees minus $300 to refinish cabinet in Black Knight Satin.

Controls

Upper Case Correlates to Control Label Text

1. Main amp > main speaker parallel with LORA: continuously variable "AUDIO LEVEL" matches main speakers from the lowest sensitivity up to 95-96 dB; for main speaker > 96 dB: 2nd amp w/level control drives LORA, amp suggested above.   
2. Vertical toggle switch, "GAIN" selector, "HI" (up, for main speaker above about 90 dB) or "LO" (down, for main speaker below about 90 dB)
3. Continuously variable "BRILLIANCE" alters both curve and gain to maximize control and sensitivity; if main speaker has tunable treble match same to LORA.  
4. Vertical toggle switch, "FLAT" (up) or "DOME FLARE NOTCH" filter (down) minimizes output in the range where dome tweeter radiation pattern tends to flare.  
5. Horizontal toggle switch, tunable "HI PASS F" filter pole, select "LO" (left) or "HI" (right) to complement main speaker; excess energy in the specified range minimizes LORAs maximum performance potential.  

"Two Streams Paradigm"

Readers are invited to view our Bohemian 215 site w/7 pages including in-depth details Re. our state of the art "Two Streams Paradigm."  Bohemian 215 comprises the best radiation pattern we know how to build for a luxury high end domestic loudspeaker.